The traditional human resource role was primarily supervisory. The HR managers, for a very long time, have been tasked with the hiring, and firing of the workforce based on the organization’s needs. These roles are largely derived from the Industrial era and have been the foundation of the HR culture in many organizations globally. However, it is undeniable that times, technology, and people have changed over the years, and the influence of that change in the workplace remains undeniable. The flexibility that technological advancements have created has produced a new generation of employees who believe in staying productive while working in their flexible schedules. Hence, it is crucial that moving forward, the HR managers understand the trends that will likely change, and devise practical strategies to address the changes in the workplace.
Emergence and growth of a blended workforce
The past two years during which work schedules were greatly disrupted by the pandemic, and when technology was widely adopted for work brought to rise widespread culture of remote working. The news is that a majority of employees feel the flexibility of working remotely should be sustained, and therefore an option of working away from the office should be in the cards for the organization. A survey published by Software Advice revealed that 86% of employees preferred to work remotely post-pandemic. Indicators show that moving forward, hiring managers should factor in the need to provide flexible working terms that involve working both from the office and remotely without affecting productivity. This will come in handy when hiring the best pool of talents from the market.
A focus on building a healthy organization
The past years have seen a keen focus by HR on the well-being of their employees. The key reasons why employees preferred working in an organization included better pay, good working culture, the resourcefulness of the organization, and also the room for growth. These are all good as they ensure that employee turnover remains low to save the company resources.
However, the future of HR holds that creating a holistic organization will be more preferred than just seeking to meet the dynamic and changing needs of an individual employee. What does this mean? A healthy organization where employees will feel at home and happy working will promote different facets of the well-being of its workforce. Hence, a healthy organization will be centrally defined by its support for physical well-being, mental health, financial well-being, healthy workplace culture, and social cohesiveness. HR has the responsibility to ensure that the holistic framework of a healthy work environment is implemented to the benefit of all workers.
Get ready to embrace gig opportunities
Hiring full-time employees to provide their services to the company has been the HR model of ensuring progress at the workplace. However, the rise of a workforce trend that solely relies on part-time jobs, consultancies, and free-floating projects to eke out existence has increased the pool of talents beyond traditional hires. HR can get work done or projects expedited through the contractual hiring of freelancers. With the increase in work flexibility, and the technology dynamics affecting working, it is important for HR to embrace the opportunities in the gig economy where qualified talents can be hired on a task-to-task basis as opposed to traditional full-time hiring. There is no doubt that the future of work lies in the flexibility availed in the gig economy and the HR should take advantage of it to advance the workplace.
Increased demand for room to upskill
Employees are perpetually seeking workplaces where they will get room to grow in their careers. The demand for both reskilling and upskilling is increasing as the need to be multi-skilled in the changing workplace spheres becomes more commonplace. For example, an accountant may seek an opportunity to learn networking and cybersecurity to increase their employability. HR should factor in room for employee career development while hiring. This will help lower employee turnover and improve productivity in the organization.
In a nutshell
The workplace is significantly changing, and so is the human resource field. It is crucial that HR understands the trends of the future workplace and the demands to anticipate. The employees are seeking more flexible workplaces, room for upskilling and reskilling, and also a more healthy work organization.
You will also love: Global trends affecting human resources
How hr managers can incentivize the workforce